The present invention is directed to ear-protectors for protecting the ears from cold and wind, and has especial use for bicyclists and runners.
There are many prior art protectors for the ears, which protectors are mounted over the ears by means of the temples of eyeglasses or sunglasses worn by the person. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,746, there is disclosed an ear-protector which is inserted the temple of sunglasses or eyeglasses. In this patent, the ear-protectors are made of cloth formed into a pocket which receives therein the ear being protected.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,002, there are also disclosed ear-protectors that are formed as an integral part of protective eyeglasses. The ear-protectors are fixedly secured to the temples of the glasses.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,911, there are disclosed detachable ear-coverings for use with goggles, and the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,189, there is disclosed a side shield for use with eyeglasses, in order to protect the eyes from peripheral light and wind. The side shield contains a vertical slide-through for mounting the side shield to the temple of eyeglasses.
In all of these prior art patents that disclose wind protectors for ears, they suffer from the disadvantages that they are difficult to use, not detachable from the eyeglasses, and/or cannot be readily used with conventional eyeglasses or sunglasses.
Regarding U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,911, the shield thereof is for blocking for peripheral light to the eyes, and not for protecting the ears. Moreover, the shield of this patent is mounted to the interior of the temple of the eyeglasses, and, therefore, could not be used for covering the ear, since locating the shield along the rear portion of the temple of the glasses would prevent the ear-bows from engaging with the ear for holding the eyeglasses and the shield on the person. Moreover, the shield of this patent is not bowed or curved in use.